


This Right Decision Is Never The Easy One

by UnderAPseudonym



Series: Harry Potter Fics [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Thorne & Rowling
Genre: Adultery, Affairs, But mostly angst, Canon Compliant, Divorce, Extramarital Affairs, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hermione is indecisive, Post-Divorce, Ron Weasley Bashing, School Reunion, Sorry Not Sorry, This Is Not Going To Go The Way You Think, mostly - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-01
Updated: 2019-09-01
Packaged: 2020-10-04 22:38:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 17,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20478620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnderAPseudonym/pseuds/UnderAPseudonym
Summary: After a class reunion, Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger become friends quite quickly. They bond over the fact that she is trapped in a loveless marriage while he is caring for a terminally ill spouse. An affair ensues. Drama follows. Honestly, just a really long one-shot that's been split into two chapters. If I get enough feedback, I might post a sequel.





	1. Falling

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for checking my story out! Make sure to comment and leave kudos!!

She pulled at the hem of the crimson fabric, just trying to find something to do with her hands. She'd never been a fan of the color red, but the memo said to wear your house colors. So here she was, a flowing red gown on, matching with shimmering gold jewelry.

"You look so--b--beautiful." Ron slurred next to her, slumping onto her shoulder. His breath lingered in her ear, wreaking of bourbon and whiskey.

"Merlin." She sighed weakly, half-heartedly pushing him off. "You smell like regret." She murmured, almost to herself.

"Oh yeah babe." He pulled out a small flask, taking a pull from it. "That's me. Your big giant regret." he hissed, barely able to stand up.

She wanted to fight back, but she really just didn't have the heart. It wasn't like he was wrong. He was right, and they both knew it.

"You need to go home." She muttered, pulling out her phone, ready to call him a cab.

"No!" He lazily snapped, gently pushing her away. "I'm--m--I'm gonna find Harry." He stuttered, walking away. Normally, she would go after him, for fear he would hurt himself, but she didn't want to. Not this time. Not at their class reunion. And not when she was in front of everyone she knew. She already felt like a disappointment to her year, marrying a washed up drunk like Ron, on top of the fact that she decided to work for The Ministry. Working there was a giant waste of her potential, and she knew it. She wanted to do visionary work, she'd wanted to lead--to make a difference. And here she was, a foreign dignitary. Or as Ron liked to call her--a glorified translator.

She walked to the bar, needing something to take the edge off. Normally she wasn't a drinker, but tonight, she felt like she deserved it.

"Vodka martini. Extra dry." She sighed, the bartender nodding casually.

She looked around The Great Hall, remembering all the great times they'd had in here as adolescents. All the great times, and all the bad times. She remembered the first ball they went to, even then, Ron had a jealous streak. She also remembered after the Battle of Hogwarts, when hundreds of wounded students laid on this floor. Some of them never got up.

Everyone else seemed like they were having a great time, and just for once, she wished she knew someone who was as miserable as her.

And just like that, she'd spotted Draco Malfoy.

He was sitting at the edge of the bar, sipping a drink all alone. 

She hadn't spoken to him since they were 17, and even then, it wasn't a pleasant conversation. But if the gossip she'd heard was true, his wife, Astoria Greengrass, was very sick--on the verge of dying sick.

She studied his frame for a moment. He was paler than she remembered, his under-eye bags almost grey. He looked like a hollow shell, and she couldn't help but feel bad. 

And in an odd stroke of courage, she stood from her stool, walking over to him.

He barely moved his head, just staring at the brushed wood of the bar. Before she could get a word in, he spoke.

"Granger." His voice was raspy and tired. It took her a minute to recover from his tone. This was far from the confident, cocky, charismatic young man she used to know. His voice lacked the edge and scrutiny that it used to have.

"Hello, Draco." she murmured. "Mind if I sit?" she asked, trying to keep up a positive tone.

"Well, my night can't get worse, so I suppose I could take a gamble on your company." He sighed, taking another sip of the drink. There was a hint of the Malfoy she remembered, pessimistic and anti-social. So, she sat down.

"So, how have you been?" She asked, and he finally looked up at her. His eyes were an alarming slate green, almost grey. 

"I'm breathing air, I have a job, and I have a home. I'm fine." He muttered, not holding her gaze for long.

"Those things aren't mutually exclusive." She smiled weakly, searching for his gaze again.

"Granger, don't try to be a therapist. You're much too logical for it."

"Some would argue that the best therapists are actually the most logical."

"Those people would be wrong. The best therapists give peace of mind, which sometimes means entertaining the patient's illogical ideas."

"But sometimes a logical mind is the only one who can offer tranquility to a person. Giving people facts and not fiction can sometimes be very reassuring." She finished, a small smile on her face.

"Granger. Still as stubborn as ever." He murmured, and she swore she saw a ghost of a smile on his face, his eyes with a very small light behind them. 

They sat in silence for a moment, just enjoying a comfortable silence.

"You look like you could use a dance." She added, a playful smile on her face.

"Us two? We'd look like a Christmas float." he pointed to his forest green suit, motioning from it to her dress.

"Come on." She smiled fully now. "It'll be fun."

He let a smile slip on his face, just staring at her.

"You're really gonna forget how horribly I treated you, and everything that I did to all your friends, and ask me for a dance? Perhaps you should be wearing yellow if you're going to be that forgiving." He breathed, leaning in a little. 

Suddenly, the air around her got colder, goosebumps rising up her arms. She felt his eyes on her, not like before, but different now. His eyes were analytical, piercing, possessive. She felt uneasy, but she shook it off, setting her jaw and leaning in towards him.

"You were practically a child--in very unfortunate circumstances. I am willing to forgive for the price of only one dance." She muttered back, a smirk settling on her features. She didn't know if she meant what she said, but he looked like he hadn't had a good time in several years. He deserved this.

There was a pause in his expression, like he was having trouble deciding what he should do.

Suddenly, she stood, grabbing his hand and pulling him from the stool.

"Granger." He let out a breath, looking almost nervous. "You're certainly in rare form tonight." He snickered, smiling again.

She pulled him onto the floor, the string quartet just beginning another sonata. 

They were surrounded by couples that they remembered well, all gliding across the floor gracefully.

"You still remember the dance lesson from McGonagall?" She laughed, taking his hand in hers.

"I only remember Potter having to dance with her." he laughed, standing up tall and pulling her closer.

Slowly, he snaked an arm around her waist, gripping her with an unfamiliar confidence. He looked down at her, beginning to lead her across the floor. His eyes were still cold, but they were kinder--like an abused animal that just didn't have the heart to bite.

They began to attract attention, other couples stopping to watch the fabled foes. 

Draco didn't care though, just continuing to gracefully turn her and pull her across the ballroom floor. 

They moved like two swans gliding across the loose waves of a lake. She couldn't stop staring into his slate green stare--intense and never wavering. Like lighting a match deep in her chest, a fire began to burn.

She felt her breath catching in her throat, almost like she couldn't breathe. She was getting caught up in the moment, beginning to have wild thoughts and feelings for her once sworn enemy. The music seemed to speed up, and she felt like she couldn't follow. Her face must have shown it, Draco's expression twitching just slightly into one of concern. Suddenly, she tripped over her own feet.

There was a collective gasp in the room as he leaned in, and she fell squarely in his taught embrace.

Claps began to ensue as they just stared at each other, seemingly out of breath. Draco quickly pulled her up, a loose smile on his face.

"Not bad, Granger. Not bad at all." He grinned, Hermione's face beginning to blush a dark pink.

Almost as if he was cued, Ron stumbled forward, pushing Draco back firmly.

"The hell you think you're doin', mate?" he grumbled, as Hermione pushed him back.

"Ron!" She hissed, standing between the two men.

"What do you want, dirtbag?" Draco snapped, trying to square up.

"Oi! Watch who you're calling a dirtbag--you--d--dirtbag!" Ron stuttered between burps. Draco rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest.

Hermione heard snickers coming from people in the room, and she clenched her teeth tight, anger flushing her features. 

"Babe--is--is this douche bothering you?" Ron stammered, falling into Hermione's arms. Quickly she pushed him off, letting him fall to the floor. Now, people began to laugh out loud, whispering under their breath. 

Hermione looked around her, seeing the amused smile on everyone's faces, feeling tears build up in her eyes. She tried to hold it back as best she could, for fear of making it worse.

"Ron, we're leaving." She grimaced, practically dragging him out of the ballroom. 

She shot one last glance over her shoulder, catching the apologetic and guilty eyes of Draco Malfoy. 

And for some reason, she longed to see him again.

The next morning, Hermione was making herself a bowl of cereal, watching news on their television. She heard groans coming from the bathroom, but she couldn't care less. For the embarrassment he'd caused last night, she hoped he never recovered from this hangover.

But alas, he walked out of their suite, slowly trudging into the living room.

"Good morning." She muttered, not even looking up from the TV.

He mumbled something incoherent in response, walking to get a water from the fridge before sitting down across from her.

"I heard you crying last night." he spoke honestly, which was the one thing she knew he could be.

She barely looked up from the TV, just glancing over for a moment.

"Well, you caused a scene last night in front of everyone I care about. Sorry if I was a little upset." She shot back with an icy tone, taking in another spoonful of the cereal.

"It wouldn't be a big deal if this was the first night you'd been up crying."

"Ron, you don't know what you're talking about."

"To hell I don't know! I can't sleep with you sobbing right next to me!"

"The least you could do is roll your ass over and comfort me!"

"What do you want me to do?!" He shrieked, finally topping her volume. "Honestly, Hermione, what do you want from me? I've tried to comfort you and you push me away, you don't want me around, we never just hang out anymore, and you're embarrassed to take me ANYWHERE!" he finished, becoming red in the face.

"I don't love you, Ron." She murmured, almost inaudible. 

"What did you just say?" His tone was low and dangerous as he inched his way towards her.

"I don't love you, Ron." She spoke with confidence this time. "I don't love you." she shot him an icy glare, watching as his face went from shocked to furious. "I resent you. I resent this marriage. And I resent myself for ever letting you marry me." she spat, standing up. 

For a moment, she was afraid Ron would hit her, but he just deflated, like an inflatable with no air. He slumped into his own frame, silently retreating back to the bedroom.

She sighed heavily, still buzzing from her statements. Then, she checked her watch, cursing the fact that she was supposed to be at The Ministry in an hour. 

Quickly, she dressed, flooing from the fireplace to The Ministry's large entrance.

Her heels clicked down the halls, rushing to her office.

"Mrs. Weasley." Someone spoke behind her, and she almost didn't respond to that name. But luckily, she turned around quickly, seeing her boss.

"Mr. Xavier. I'm so sorry I was late, I promise it won't happen again." She apologized, setting her bag on her desk.

The man looked at her with disdain, shaking his head.

"That's not why I came. I need you to run some paperwork down to the Ministry of Defense." he sighed, setting a stack of folders on her desk.

"Mr. Xavier, isn't this Maggie's job?" She asked carefully. Maggie was the secretary for the office, and this just seemed like something that was below Hermione's pay grade.

"I'm asking you to do it." He hissed, shutting the door heavily behind him. 

She swept the stray hairs out of her face, and gathered up the folders, heading back down the halls towards the Ministry of Defense.

She approached the front desk, setting the heavy stack down.

"Hello, this is from Commissioner Xavier at the Ministry of Foreign Relations." She smiled down at the woman behind the desk, and the woman nodded. 

Hermione looked up, catching a nameplate on the plaque of associates. Right in front of her face, the name stood out like a sore thumb.

Draco Malfoy.

"Excuse me?" she asked the receptionist, walking back over to the desk. "Could you tell me where Draco Malfoy's office is?" 

She knew she shouldn't investigate, she should just turn around and go back to her job, but this--him--it was so enticing. 

"It's down that hall to the left." the receptionist motioned, and Hermione took off in that direction. "Wait, you can't just go in there, you have to schedule an appointment." the woman barked at Hermione.

"Watch me." Hermione spoke, flashing her badge at the other woman. 

Hermione was never like this. She would always make appointments, and follow rules. But something about the encounter last night just begged her down the hall, pushing her right up to his door.

As luck would have it, there was no one in there, just Draco, reading a paper and drinking brandy.

She rose her hand to knock, but hesitated for a moment. 

What the hell was she doing? Why was she here? They were both married, and she should be focusing on fixing her relationship with Ron instead of running away and finding comfort in someone else's company. Stupid, god she was so stupid. 

She turned to walk away, when his voice came from behind her.

"Granger?" He sounded a little surprised, but not as much as he should. They hadn't ever been friends, and they hadn't spoken in 8 years. She was a damn stranger to him, and here he was, just casually addressing her.

"Oh, um, Malfoy. Hello." She stammered, turning to face him. As soon as their eyes met, his expression turned guilty again.

"I--I wanted to call after last night. I wanted to make sure you were--um--and I didn't have your phone number. So. Sorry?" He barely got the words out, he was so flustered. She just nodded slowly, trying to make sense of his babbling. "Would you like to--come in?" He offered awkwardly, and she nodded again.

The office was clean to a fault, every single case labeled and put away in a filing cabinet. It smelled like disinfectant, and was abnormally grey and dreary. It was the opposite of her office, which was yellows and earth tones, with a vanilla candle burning, everything in piles, in a sort of organized mess.

"Wow." she mumbled, sitting in one of the chairs across from his desk.

"What?" He asked, sitting down behind the desk.

"It's just--super clean." She gave him a tight-lipped smile, putting her hands in her lap.

He went back to sipping on the brandy, staying silent.

"Isn't it a little early for a brandy?" she chuckled, and he smiled lightly.

"Is there any other way to deal with the vultures in this department?" he joked, a smirk gracing her expression.

There was another long silence, just the two of them sitting in verbal limbo.

"Are you okay?" He asked earnestly, barely able to look up at her.

"Yeah--I'm--I'm sorry about last night. Everything got a little out of hand and i--" she stumbled over the words, Draco stepping in.

"When everyone started laughing, I wanted to maul your husband. With all due respect." He murmured, looking at his glass intently. 

"I wanted to maul my husband too." She snickered, sighing lowly.

"You didn't answer my question. Are you okay?" he asked again.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I always am." she muttered, looking away from him. 

"So why are you here?" he asked knowingly, standing up and walking around to the side of his desk, sitting down on it slowly.

She stood from her spot in the chair, matching his height.

"I don't know." She whispered. "After last night, I know it's stupid and I know it's wrong, but I had to see you." she finished, leaning in a little closer to him.

"Granger, I've been thinking about you every second since last night." he breathed, slipping an arm around her waist, just as he had the night before.

She made the first move, grabbing him at the nape of his neck and pulling his lips towards hers. With her free hand, she moved his left leg over, grabbing at the knit fabric roughly. She stood between his legs, shoving him down towards the surface of the desk.

Hands were everywhere, moving too fast for her to register. They ripped the clothes off each other, Draco pulling her hair out of the loose bun and letting it fall around her shoulder. He slowed, only for a moment, just taking in the view.

"You're so beautiful." He murmured, a smile creeping up onto both of their faces.

For the first time in years, Hermione felt loved.

They were both panting, laying lazily on the floor of his office.

"Not bad, Granger. Not bad at all." He laughed, as she let a free laugh escape her chest.

"Well, Malfoy, you weren't so bad yourself." she smirked, beginning to get up and get dressed, Draco doing the same.

"Listen, if you want to do this again, maybe we could go out to dinner or something?" He asked, a smile on his face.

"Maybe we can figure something out." She snickered, buttoning her top.

There was a pounding knock at the door, making them both jump a little. 

Draco hurried to put his jacket on, practically shoving Hermione behind the desk. He walked to answer the door, Hermione watching from a hole in the bottom of the desk. 

"Mr. Malfoy." She recognized the voice immediately. Mr. Xavier. 

Panic surged through her veins, as she struggled to keep her breathing quiet.

"I'm looking for Mrs. Weasley. She came down to your office about an hour ago. The receptionist told me I would find her in your office." Mr. Xavier hissed, Draco sighing nonchalantly. 

"I'm sorry Commissioner Xavier. I haven't seen her." Draco lied with expert skill. 

"Well, Mr. Malfoy--she is my employee, so if you've seen her you need to tell me." He looked Draco up and down, taking in his disheveled hair and jacket.

"Xavier, I'm sure I don't know what you're trying to imply." Draco began, a sickening smile on his face. "But might I remind you that you're my subordinate." His tone became lower and darker. "So next time you walk into my office unannounced, you'd better use a more professional tone. I have no problem writing you up to my superiors, considering you apparently can't keep control of your employees." Draco groveled, and for the first time in her life, she saw shock and fear on Mr. Xavier's face.

"Mr. Malfoy--I--" he tried to recover, but Draco stepped in.

"Get out." Draco snapped, sending Xavier practically running down the hall.

As soon as the door was shut, they both broke out into laughter.

"That was incredible!" Hermione chuckled, standing up, fixing her hair back up.

"He's a douchebag." Draco sighed, helping her with her bag.

There was a long silence where they just smiled at each other, holding an intense stare.

"Well--um--I should go." She murmured, turning away from him. Just before she opened the door, he grabbed her wrist, gently pulling her into his chest.

He leaned down, his lips ghosting over her own.

"I want to see you again." he whispered. She nodded slowly.

"I'll leave you my number." She breathed, pulling away.

She scribbled her number on a stray piece of paper from her purse, leaving it for him with a smile.

She bounced down the halls of The Ministry, a grin plastered on her face. As soon as she walked into the Foreign Affairs office, Xavier busted out of his office, red in the face.

"Where the hell have you been?" He growled, and she didn't even look at him.

"Got lost. Maybe next time, you should send Maggie." She grinned, shutting her own door behind her.

She felt different after her little--situation--with Draco. She was bold, she was fulfilled, she was--happy?

The rest of the day breezed by, Hermione with a unfamiliar spring in her step. She waltzed through the office, brushing off the mundane and miserable stares sent her way.

Just before heading home, she felt her phone buzz, pulling it out of her purse.

"Hello?" She answered quickly, not bothering to check the caller ID.

"Hermione?" Harry asked, confused. "You never pick up that quick." 

"Oh--um--I'm waiting on an important call." She didn't lie, she just wasn't tell the whole truth.

"Well, Ginny and I want you and Ron to come over for dinner." He offered, and she slumped. She hadn't thought about Ron all day, and all at once, the guilt hit her like a freight train.

What had she done?

"Sure thing. What time?" She continued on, trying to push the thoughts away.

"6." He responded curtly. 

"We'll be there." She hung up the phone, gathering her things and heading down the corridors towards the floo fireplaces.

She couldn't push all the thoughts out of her head, images of the past 48 hours flashing in her mind.

She'd just cheated on her husband, someone she'd pledged her life to four years ago. She'd promised in front of his family, their friends, and God that she would never leave his side, and she would always be faithful to him.

And yet, she'd given into the sudden temptation of Draco Malfoy.

"C'mon sweetheart--kiss me." Ron murmured, as she turned her head away slowly.

They were standing on the steps of Harry and Ginny's flat, Hermione had just knocked.

Ron rolled his eyes, sighing heavily.

"You can't blame me for trying, Hermione." He grumbled, both of them slapping fake smiles on their face when Ginny opened the door.

"Hermione! Ron!" She chirped, hugging them both excitedly, ushering them in the door.

Hermione immediately noticed the small changes in the household. Things from the upstairs office had been moved down in the living room, crowding the small space a little. She darted her eyes around the dining area, seeing the large boudoir that she'd grown fond of to be missing. Hermione was nothing if not observant, and she had to wonder what was going on here.

Then she looked at Ginny, still just as beautiful as she'd always been, but there was something different. She was paler, if that was even possible, and she looked like she'd lost weight everywhere but her middle. Hermione noticed the loose fitting dress Ginny had on, and the way Harry's arm snaked protectively around her waist.

Merlin's beard. This was Hermione's worst case scenario. Ron had been bugging her for years to have kids, but she knew it was a bad decision. Ron was on the verge of depression every two minutes, and he refused to get any help for it. He was a rowdy alcoholic, and above all, Hermione didn't want children. She thought they were utterly useless, and for the amount of love they provide, there were at least 35 scenarios in which they were way too much of a hassle. The means don't meet the ends.

But now that Harry and Ginny were having a baby, she could only imagine the car ride back home that evening. It would be one of their many screaming matches that would end in Ron drinking himself to sleep in the basement, while Hermione did work and went to bed upstairs. 

Sometimes she wondered what would happen if she filed for divorce. Last time she'd tried, nearly a year ago, Ron sobbed and said he'd kill himself. He had desperation in his eyes, and Hermione felt like she had to stay.

But look at them now. No physical contact, sleeping in separate beds. No conversations, nothing good at least. They were practically already divorced. Ron just didn't want to come to that realization.

"Hermione?" Ginny asked, a grin on her face.

Hermione snapped out of her thoughts, seeing Harry and Ron staring at her.

"Yes, um, sorry." Hermione apologized awkwardly.

"Did you hear what I said?" Ginny asked, Hermione shaking her head. "Harry and I are having a baby!" She squealed, and Hermione tried to muster a great reaction.

"That's incredible!" Hermione smiled, but Harry and Ginny weren't buying it.

"You already knew, didn't you?" Harry asked, and Hermione blushed a little.

"Well, I might have clocked some small differences and made up my own conclusion." She laughed, Harry and Ginny smiling. "But nonetheless, congratulations." 

Dinner carried on, an uncomfortable silence settling between her and Ron. And when it was time to leave, Hermione was the first one out the door, Ron close behind. 

They sat in silence in the car, just listening to the low whispers of the random radio station. Hermione watched the road run away from her in the rear-view mirror, slumped over the ledge of the car.

"You okay?" Ron asked eyes trained tightly on the road, and she perked up slightly.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She sighed, and he stayed quiet for a moment before breaking the silence again.

"Did you mean what you said this morning?" he asked bluntly, bring everything back up.

"I don't regret this marriage." she murmured, trying to find the right words to express her feelings. Did she love Ron? No. Had she at one point? Yes. "It just seems like this marriage is over. We fight every moment we're together. And if we're not fighting, you're drinking."

"You can't blame me for drinking. You can't even stand to look at me, Hermione." Ron shot back quickly, trying to keep his temper low.

"Don't be dramatic." She huffed, Ron's anger erupting.

"I love you, Hermione! I'm fighting over here, barely hanging on to something that was dead on arrival." He snapped, Hermione surprised at his admission of feeling. "I'm making it so obvious that I need help and that I am two inches from totally over the edge. I mean--bloody hell." She looked analytically at his face, studying the familiar bumps and ridges. Tears began to well up in his eyes, as he sniffed frantically. "You're all i've ever wanted, Hermione. And I just need to know--before this goes any further than it has--if you still want me. Do you want me?" He was practically begging with his tone. 

She couldn't feel any more guilty in this moment. 

Ron put nothing above Hermione, but their marriage had been doomed from the start. They just weren't meant to be together. 

And earlier this same day, she'd broken her vows, and given in to some stupid urge.

Deep down, she knew it was more than just a stupid urge. She'd been ignoring stupid urges her whole life--she was nothing if not focused. Draco was more than just an urge. He made her feel lighter than she'd ever felt in her entire life. 

And then there was Ron. She felt weighed down by him, drained, smothered.

"I don't want to be married to you anymore, Ron." She murmured, unable to look him in the eyes.

He didn't lash out like she thought he would. He was silent, taking it in.

"Ok."

Hermione was shocked. That's all he had to say?

"That's it? Ok?" She asked hesitantly, afraid he would bubble over and get furious.

"Hermione, I'm tired of fighting. Both of us are still young, we can lead new lives. Start over. And maybe someday, we can be friends again." He whispered, Hermione seeing a few stray tears slipping down his red-tinted cheeks in the moonlight. 

He shot a nervous glance over at her, a small smirk on his face.

"Does that sound good?" He asked, sniffling only a little. Hermione couldn't help the tears that unexpectedly began streaming down her face.

Ron put the car in park as she stared at him.

"That sounds good, Ron." She spoke slowly, smiling sadly and pulling him into a tight hug. They cried into each other's shoulders for what seemed like an eternity, car just sitting silently in the driveway.

Memories flooded her mind--happy memories. She remembered that it hadn't always been like this. She remembered when he'd proposed to her, and how happy she'd been. She immediately started planning the wedding with Molly and Angelica and Ginny. She cried when she put on her wedding dress for the first time. She sobbed when Ron read her his vows. She laughed as he carried her over the threshold of their home for the first time. She smiled when they had movie marathons with Harry and Ginny, and she would snuggle up in his arms. She'd loved Ron. She'd experienced every beautiful thing in her young adult life with him. And before that--they were best friends. And for the life of her, she didn't know what happened.

But now--it was officially over.

They had both given up.


	2. Standing

The next day, she arrived at work, heavy from the night before. She felt like she had this big huge secret that she just had to carry around with her. And although she knew it wasn't exactly a secret to the people who really knew them, it still felt like a burden.

As soon as she stepped through her office door, she was greeted by a large bouquet of roses and a small card next to them.

I thought this would look nice in your over-crowded, and frankly, too-warm office. -Malfoy

She laughed quietly, setting them neatly on the edge of her desk, after taking a long sniff of the fresh flowers.

The happiness quickly faded, as thoughts of Ron slipped back into her mind.

He used to do this same thing, send surprise flowers to her office. Back in the day, it used to make her smile just thinking about him.

Maggie knocked on the door loudly, pulling her away from her thoughts.

"Hermione?" She asked, almost timid.

"Yes?" She replied, genuinely interested. Maggie was kind of stuck up, so if she was buzzing with nerves, Hermione should probably be nervous too. 

"Dr. Malfoy is here from the Ministry of Defense." Maggie sputtered.

"Oh--uhm--" Hermione searched for the words, but was totally lost.

"I tried to tell him he needed an appointment, but he's very determined." Maggie murmured, still anxious.

Hermione smiled at the word 'determined'.

"That's one way of putting it." Hermione snickered. "Send him in." she offered, Maggie nodding and leaving.

A few moments later, Draco sauntered in, a grin on his face.

"You know, this is my place of business--not a seedy motel." Hermione laughed, Draco shutting the door behind him.

"Relax. If I wanted a repeat of yesterday, I'd at least take you out for dinner." He smirked. "Speaking of which, would you like to have dinner with me this evening?" There was a playful light in his eyes, one that made Hermione gush.

"Very funny." She sighed, putting away her purse as he took a seat on the front side of her desk. "You know--if I didn't know any better--I'd say you're trying to wine me up so you can get me in bed."

"Well, you can't blame a man for trying. Especially after yesterday's--display." He chuckled, and she shoved his arm playfully.

They were quiet for a moment, just staring at each other.

"You know--I don't know what happened to you--but you're not the same Malfoy I spoke to at our class reunion." she smiled, just in awe of his new attitude.

"Maybe I enjoy your company. Have you thought about that?" he offered.

"You like talking to me?" She asked, feigning shock.

"'Maybe' being the operative word." He smiled, leaning in a little.

"And as much as I enjoy talking to you, I really do have some work to do this morning." She shot back, pulling out her agenda.

"You never answered my question."

"What question?"

"Will you come over for dinner?"

"To Malfoy Manor? Isn't that forbidden ground for a Gryffindor?"

"Hardly. Technically, I am a member of the House of Black. And if I recall--there was a Gryffindor or two in that family." He smirked, Hermione pausing for a moment before answering.

"Alright, Malfoy. I'll come. But I'm gonna need your address." She sighed, ready to write it down in her agenda.

"Don't worry about that. What size dress do you wear?" He asked, and Hermione let the confusion slip on her face.

"Why do you need to know?" she shot back, and Draco just grinned.

"That's alright. I'll have Nigel send you a couple options." He murmured, swiftly shutting the door behind himself. 

She sat in silence, trying to process what had just happened. 

Then Ron slipped into her mind once again.

He would be suspicious if she was putting on makeup and dressing nice. I mean, they were getting a divorce, so did it really matter? But it came down to the fact that Hermione didn't want to hurt his feelings.

She pulled out her phone, dialing up Ron.

"Hermione?" He sounded shocked. This was the first time they'd spoken on the phone in months.

"Hey, yeah. I just wanted to remind you that I'll need the house tonight for my book club." She tried to sound chipper, but she felt bad for lying to him. 

"Oh, okay, sure. Yeah I'll probably just hang out with Harry and Ginny." He mumbled back, sounding the same sort of defeated that he had last night. The guilt was pulling down on her, and she wasn't sure she could stay on the phone much longer.

"Alright. Thank you. I have to go now." She murmured, not waiting for his reply. She hung up the phone quickly, taking a deep breath.

The rest of the day dragged on in nervous anticipation with just a touch of excitement. She'd never been to Malfoy Manor, but it was a place of local folklore for wizards and witches. Everyone speculated how many people had died there, both naturally and unnaturally. It was a popular gossip topic for anyone who knew anything about this world. And now, with Astoria sick, people had opinions about what was really going on behind closed doors at the fabled estate.

Hermione was snapped out of her thoughts as she walked into her home. She darted off to her room, but caught the sight of Ron putting on his coat.

Their eyes met for a moment, and he let a small smile creep onto his face.

"How was your day?" He asked, leaning up against the kitchen counter.

"Fine. Yours?" She asked, approaching hesitantly.

"Good. Goyle was being a total ass, but that's no big surprise." He laughed, causing Hermione to smile. She studied his face, seeing his blue eyes just a little brighter and his shoulders just a little more square.

"Are you ok?" She asked, a sad smirk on her face. "This is just the first time we've smiled in this house in months." She chuckled lowly, Ron joining her.

"You know, maybe this divorce is the best thing to happen to us." He grinned, and she let the smile slowly slip away.

Divorce.

She was going to be a divorcee. 

"Maybe." She couldn't stop the little bit of nervous laughter that bubbled up in her chest.

"Well, have a nice time with your book club. I put some extra wine in the fridge. I thought you'd need it if Luna was coming this evening." He snickered, a genuine smile creeping up on her face.

"Thank you, Ron." She sighed freely.

He leaned in a little, making her nervous at first, but he planted a chaste kiss on her forehead.

"You deserve it." He smiled, walking towards the front door. "By the way--you got a package." He pointed to the counter, shutting the door behind him.

She walked over to the large box, inspecting the return address.

But there was nothing, just a black cardboard box with no labels.

She picked up the box, moving to the couch before ripping the top open. 

Inside were 3 different dresses, all an emerald green.

Sitting atop the fabrics was a handwritten note.

I saw how uncomfortable you were in that red dress at the reunion. I thought I'd give you a different color to try. -Malfoy

She pulled the dresses out one by one, her breath catching in her throat each time. They were so gorgeous--all 3 of them floor length ballgowns with differing embroidery.

But the one she really had her eye on--the one at the bottom--it was fairly simple. It was satin, fabric folded over chicly at the top of the bustier. The skirt was flowing, with a short train. And underneath it, was a black velvet box with another note attached.

A gift. -Malfoy

She could barely breath when she opened the top.

It was the most elegant and breath-taking necklace and earring set. The necklace was Cartier, the box dated 1848. All around the chain was emeralds--the size of a quarter--nestled in a border of the brightest diamonds she'd ever seen. And at the crux of the necklace, another emerald--teardrop shaped--hanging delicately down from the rest of the necklace. The whole thing looked like something out of Her Majesty's special collection of jewels. The earrings were a perfect match, just as bright and beautiful as the necklace. And although she could tell they were very old, they looked brand new, leading her to believe they'd just been polished.

She took no time to fix up her hair and put on a little makeup. And just as she was about to get dressed, there was a loud knock at the door.

She scrambled to the door, trying not to seem suspicious. She opened it hesitantly, not recognizing the older gentleman in front of her.

"Miss Granger?" He asked, his accent impeccable. 

"Yes, who's asking?" She shot back, a little nervous.

"My name is Nigel. Draco sent me." he smiled, and she relaxed a little.

"Oh--uh--sure, come in." She opened the door further, and shut it behind him.

"Hurry up and get dressed, Draco wants us at The Manor at 6:00PM sharp." He sat down slowly on the couch, Hermione just looking at him. "Are you gonna stand there and stare at me? Let's go, Miss Granger." His tone was playful, like a father talking to his daughter that was taking too long.

She whirled around quickly, running back to her room and getting dressed.

Right as she was about to walk back out to Nigel, she caught herself in the mirror.

She could honestly say she didn't remember a time when she felt this beautiful.

The green hue complimented her olive skin tone. And the jewelry paired with the dress was nearly too much beauty for her to behold. She allowed a small sliver of sadness to creep up in her chest.

This is what her life could have been--had she given Draco the time of day--had she not married Ron. And usually material things didn't matter to Hermione, but this--this was just too much to not love.

She sauntered out of her room, Nigel standing up quickly.

"It's about time. I swear I--" He cut himself off as he took in her sight.

"Do I look okay?" She asked, a grin on her face.

"Miss Granger. You may be the most beautiful woman I've ever seen." Nigel smirked, offering out his hand. "Come on now. Your carriage awaits." They both laughed, walking through the front door and shutting behind themselves. 

She was met with the sight of a slick black limousine. 

"Did he really make you drive this?" She asked, laughing freely.

"It's been such a long time since Draco has courted anyone. He thought it'd be too much, but I just wanted to make sure you have a great night. The limo was my idea." Nigel smiled lowly, almost embarrassed.

"In that case--" She rested a hand on his arm gently. "I love it."

He opened the door for her, and she slid in carefully.

"So--" she asked as he got settled behind the wheel. "--what's with the dress and the jewels?" She asked, leaning into the partition so she could look at Nigel directly.

"Draco's idea. He wanted to pull out all the stops, ma'am." Nigel spoke carefully as he began to reverse the car out of her driveway.

"The necklace is old, yes?" she asked, and Nigel nodded. 

"It's been in the family for centuries. It was originally bought for Druella Black by her husband Cygnus. Druella had quite the jewelry collection. And after Druella and Cygnus died, they left Draco and Narcissa the entire collection. He rarely ever looks at it, but he thought it would look nice on you." Nigel explained, Hermione's mouth hanging agape.

"Druella's maiden name was Rosier, correct?" She followed up, seeing Nigel get uncomfortable.

"Yes, ma'am." He spoke curtly.

"The Rosier family was notorious for being Death Eaters. And the Black's were notorious for hating muggles and mud-bloods." She murmured, looking back down at the necklace. "I can only imagine what they'd think if they saw me wearing this." She sighed, looking back up at Nigel.

"Draco isn't like his family. And if I recall correctly, you found a friend in a certain Black." He smiled warmly. "People aren't defined by their name, but by their actions. In extending the jewelry to you, he is hopeful that you will understand his renounce for his family." Nigel was quiet for a moment, looking at Hermione quickly before looking back at the road. "You are more worthy of these jewels than any Black or Malfoy I've met so far." She grinned back at him, a blush creeping up her cheeks.

"Well, thank you. Although, green is a bit of a step outside my wardrobe." She laughed, Nigel snickering.

"You look quite beautiful in it. Maybe you should reconsider your wardrobe's color scheme." He added playfully.

The rest of the drive was relatively quiet. After about 20 minutes, they were on the outskirts of London, and she figured they had to be getting close to the estate. As per usual, she had been right.

There was a long straight lane, leading up to the most grand mansion she'd ever seen. 

It was white brick, with symmetrical windows on the front. The steeples were high, adorned with deadly points. It looked like a classic haunted house, and with the sun setting, she couldn't help but be a little nervous. This is where Lord Voldemort had ran his operations for countless years. What went on behind closed doors in this mansion led to the death of people she cared about. It was the reason her parents don't remember who she is, the reason her friends are buried in Godric's Hollow, the reason Dumbledore is dead.

And in a moment of panic, she started to breathe heavily.

"Nigel, I need to get out. I can't do this." She stammered, unable to catch her breath.

"Ma'am?" he asked in confusion.

"Stop the car, Nigel!" She shouted, Nigel slamming on the brakes.

She jumped out, running the other way down the lane.

Her blood was rushing in her ears, pure panic in her veins. Something primal took over, moving her legs quicker than she thought possible.

Panic.

Run.

Panic.

She didn't get as far as she would've liked, her heel getting stuck in the charcuterie of the landscaping.

"Damn it!" She hissed, nearly falling over. She pulled at her heel but it didn't budge.

"Miss Granger!" Nigel approached, completely out of breath. "You'd think I was chasing a damn cheetah. Bloody hell." He grunted, immediately kneeling to help her with her shoe.

"I--I'm sorry--I don't know what came over me. I just--the house--" She breathed heavily and Nigel held up a hand to silence her.

"I wish I could say this is the first time a woman ran at the sight of the imposing manor." He snickered, pulling her heel out of the ground with fervor, standing up quickly.

"Perhaps we can just walk back to the manor? I think I'll have a stroke if I have to run again." He smiled warmly, pointing up to the estate.

"Yeah--uh--i'm sorry." She murmured, unable to look him in the eyes.

"Quite alright. Although I am 67 years old. You young people can just up and start sprinting off somewhere." he cracked, Hermione laughing lowly.

They approached the black doors, looming tauntingly in front of her. 

Nonchalantly, Nigel opened the door, pushing with great effort. Hermione immediately jumped in to help him, both of them getting the damn thing open. As soon as they let go it slammed shut behind them, Hermione jumping a little.

"Thank you, ma'am. I really need to get those bloody doors fixed." He laughed, walking off away from her.

She took in the sight for a moment, intimidated by the cathedral ceiling and the dim lighting. And with the shutting of a corridor door, she saw him. 

Draco Malfoy in one of his best suits.

When he saw her, he stopped dead in his tracks.

"Granger." he breathed, barely audible.

"That bad, huh?" She joked, as a smile slowly creeped onto his face.

"Not bad at all." He took her hand gingerly, pulling her closer. With a swift motion, he kissed her, quick but passionate. "Ready for dinner?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Lead the way." She grinned, following him into the dining room.

It was a grand parlor, with marble flooring and most everything made of glass. The lights were brighter in this room, and much to Hermione's surprise, Narcissa Malfoy sat at the table.

Immediately she felt panic, just like she had outside. But she planted her feet firmly in the ground, Draco watching her for a reaction.

"Miss Granger--" Narcissa stood from the table, walking over to greet Hermione. "It's so very nice to see you." She smiled.

Hermione shook her hand, just staring at her, unable to form words. She'd never been this close to Narcissa, let alone see her smile.

"Mother, sit down, I think you're scaring her." Draco tried to break the tension, the three of them walking over to the long table. There were three plates set at the very end of the table, so they could have conversation.

"I'm sorry it's just--it's been so long since we had guests. Do you like the jewelry?" She asked, Hermione nodding and blushing.

"Although, I think it's far too much for just a three person dinner." Hermione smiled, Narcissa nodding.

"I can't remember the last time we had a formal dinner party. I just thought this would be a nice change of pace for us." She smiled, Nigel bringing out the first course and explaining the dish.

Hermione was still shocked. She'd never experienced this level of high society.

Dinner flew by with idle conversation, Narcissa unnervingly cordial and friendly. Once the dessert course had been taken from the table, Narcissa stood, smoothing out her dress.

"Well, Miss Granger, it was awfully wonderful to see you. I hope we do make this a habit." She smiled, seemingly genuine, before she exited the room with a few clicks of her heels on the marble flooring.

There was a short silence, before Draco spoke.

"I probably should have mentioned my mother would be joining us for dinner." He sighed, Hermione smiling just a little.

"She totally made me forget that she once tried to kill me." She snickered, Draco's face a little whiter. "Relax. I'm joking."

"That stuff isn't funny to joke about." He let out a long huff, Hermione putting a hand on his.

"I've already forgiven you. And maybe your mother too." She grinned, a smirk on Draco's face. "But it has to be something we are able to talk about. It's our history. For better or worse."

"Our history?" He asked, an eyebrow cocked.

"Well, it's true." She murmured, leaning in. He kissed her slowly, deepening the kiss just a little.

When they pulled apart, they were both smiling lazily.

"Would you like to walk the grounds?" He spoke, standing from the table and offering her a hand.

"I suppose I do need a tour." She grinned, taking his hand.

They left through the back garden, Draco explaining the history behind the building, and it was actually quite fascinating to Hermione.

"And this--" He pointed at a marble bench in he middle of a dying patch of flowers. "--was a wedding gift for my mother and father from Cygnus and Druella Black. It has the House of Black signet embossed on the top. My grandma Druella planted these flowers herself, on her hands and knees, which was unheard of for a noble lady of her stature. But she demanded that she do it herself." Draco smiled sadly. Hermione's blood ran cold at the mention of Druella, snapping her back to her earlier thoughts about how hateful her reputation was. "She was truly an incredible woman. And with such history rooted in hatred and murder, she was a bright spot in the House of Black. Like your friend Sirius." Draco looked over at Hermione, confusion written all over her face. "You would have loved Druella. She was much like Sirius. She came from a family of hatred, and married into another one. Cygnus was a typical Black man, and would have liked to seen all the muggle-born witches and wizards dead." Draco took a pause, sitting down on the bench, gesturing to the empty spot next to him. Hermione cautiously took it, flushing her side to his. "But Grandmother Druella was different. In public, she was forced to stand next to her husband and stand for things she didn't believe in. But in private, when she would take care of me, she would tell me that the world had far too much hate. She would remind me that no one's last name defines who they are. And no matter how people may see you, no matter what their ideas are based off your House or family, a person is made up solely of the deeds they do." He murmured, unable to face Hermione. "Her words were with me the day I betrayed my father and Lord Voldemort. She was ahead of her time, a woman who wasn't taken seriously simply because she was a woman. But I had the opportunity to change the image of the Malfoy and Black Houses. I am the sole heir to this legacy of hatred, and this bench, this wilting garden, reminds me of the dreams Druella had for me. My aunt, Andromeda, ran away and married Ted Tonks and they lived a life of love and happiness. They have a new family tree full of heroes and Gryffindors and people who laid down their lives to save Harry Potter and The Order of The Phoenix. But I had to stick around. I have to live in this house. I have to bear this burden every moment of every day." He confessed, eyes trained on the grey flowers in front of them. "Druella would have been disgusted at the things i've done. To you, to Potter, to wizard-kind." he grimaced, wringing out his hands. "And I come out here to remember. I sit on this bench and look at these dying flowers, wondering if somehow, it's an allegory for how the House of Black and House of Malfoy will finally end with me."

Hermione tried to take it all in. He'd just bared his soul to her, and she hadn't a single thing to say.

"Okay--" She began, sorting out her thoughts. "First of all, being a Slytherin has nothing to do with how evil your family acted. There are plenty of great Slytherins. Merlin was a Slytherin!" She tried, but Draco didn't look up at her. "Listen, I know absolutely nothing about carrying something like this. And I don't know anything about being a pure-blood or being the heir to a huge fortune or any of this high society crap--" She gently guided Draco's chin up, facing her directly. "But I'm here. I will always listen intently, and I will always be here to remind you just as your grandmother did--" She paused, mustering a deep breath. "You're more than everything that is laid at your doorstep. You can choose to be weighed down, or you can do as those people had hoped for you. Druella, Sirius, Andromeda, Regulus, Cassiopeia, Alphard, your mother--they all made that choice. They were brave, and you are too." She whispered, Draco's face flooding with a little surprise at her knowledge of the Black family tree. She remembered the moment when Sirius had told them of his family history, of all that had happened, all the people who had been burned out of the tree. It was upsetting to her to think that people would disown their loved ones for such obsolete reasons. It twisted her heart up to think that's what Draco's father had done to him.

"Gryffindors and Slytherins, we're different sides of the same coin." She continued, taking his hand slowly. "Pressed up against a distorted glass, told to hate each other, never able to truly see or--touch." She gave his hand a light squeeze, and he smiled slowly, shaking his head.

"You're much too wise to be a Gryffindor, Granger. And although the sorting hat has technically never made a bad decision, I fear that he has made just one." He murmured back, snaking his arm around her waist.

"I don't know. I'm am awful brave." She chuckled, their faces mere inches apart.

He kissed her, with a vulnerability previously unknown. He had let down his walls, he'd let her in. It was hard to believe that just 5 years ago, she was battling him for the fate of their world. But for those who took the time to understand him, which was a slim number, they could see that he was sad and vulnerable. He had been taken advantage of, his destiny having been determined for him at birth. He was Voldemort's answer to Harry Potter. But he didn't want all that. Unbeknownst to others, he'd never wanted the notoriety, or the money, or the infamy. He didn't want to be Harry Potter's nemesis. But hate was ingrained in him, and just when he'd grown up enough to understand and make his own decisions, Voldemort had pitted him against Harry Potter--a battle he knew he'd never win--but only because he didn't want to. No one gave him the credit his skills deserved. He and Hermione were the two greatest wizards of their generation, but no one saw past the greatness of Harry Potter. She'd never held a grudge, she didn't want all the attention, but she felt bad for the belittlement that Draco received. People remember it as Draco unable to beat Harry, but it wasn't because he wasn't good enough--he made the choice to spare Harry's life. And few gave that thought any consideration.

He was a nobody now, totally adrift in the sea of London. People had shunned the Malfoy's. Lucius and his accomplices had been banished from England immediately after the trials had finished. Narcissa and Draco had only been spared and given their magic privileges back because they were instrumental in saving Harry. But everyone else had been carted off without so much as a goodbye. He'd lost everyone except for his mother--who was hardly the same Narcissa she used to be. According to Draco, she hadn't left the house in months. After Lucius left, she became a hermit, tending to her garden and reading her books. That's all she ever did.

"I'm sorry." Hermione whispered, barely pulling away from the kiss.

"For what, Granger?" he breathed, putting a gentle hand at the nape of her neck.

"For the way people treat you. You are a great man, a great wizard, and a great son. But no one ever says it to you. So I'm saying it." She smiled, and she swore she saw a tear in Draco's eye. At that, she wrapped him in a tight hug, burying her face in the collar of his suit. He smelled of cologne, the kind of Chanel No. 5 that Hermione loved.

"I was wrong." He murmured, pulling away gently. He looked down at her, grey eyes shining with care. "The sorting hat didn't make a mistake. You were given the lion's share of empathy. A Gryffindor indeed." He smiled sadly, tears surfacing in Hermione's eyes.

"I'm gonna say something right now. And I don't care what you think." She gave a watery chuckle, Draco nodding curiously. 

She took a deep breath, mustering all the courage she could. 

"I love you, Draco." 

There was a short silence, a smirk lingering on his face.

"I love you more, Granger."

She trudged into the house, trying to be quiet. But as soon as she stepped into the living room, she was met with the sight of Ron, teary-eyed and flustered, watching the evening news. As soon as they locked eyes, he turned away, sniffling.

"Sorry--um--I'll---" Hermione stuttered, but Ron interrupted. 

"No it's ok. I was just--was just watching the news. I remembered how much you loved the political columns. You used to sit here and watch it for hours." He smiled sadly, finally looking back up at her, taking in her appearance. "That's a beautiful dress--and jewelry. What's the occasion?" He asked, probably already knowing the answer. The grief in his eyes was nearly indistinguishable. She didn't know if he was aware that she went on a date, or if he was just still upset about the memories of the news.

"Um--I went out." She was vague, and he nodded slowly, looking away.

"Who is he?" He asked, unable to face Hermione. She moved towards the couch, gently sitting down next to him.

"Ron, it was just a date. I don't even know if I like this guy. And technically we're separated. I didn't think this would be a big deal." Hermione lied. Every bit of it was a lie. It wasn't just a date, she knew she loved Draco, they were still living in the same house (So how truly separated were they?), and she knew it would totally crush Ron. She just hoped he believed her.

"Not a big deal? Hermione, I've never seen you wear that necklace and earrings, and I didn't even know you owned that dress! We've been married for 4 years and i've never seen any of it." He snapped, looking at her with desperation in his eyes.

"He loaned me the dress and jewelry." She sighed, coming just a little clean.

"Green--so obviously he's a Slytherin. I didn't even know you knew Slytherins, I--" He slowed down his speech until it halted, just staring silently at Hermione.

"Ron?" She asked cautiously.

"Malfoy. You're fucking Draco Malfoy." he whispered, like he couldn't believe it himself.

Hermione just looked up at the ceiling, sighing heavily.

"How long?" He asked, a few tears slipping down his cheeks. After a few moments of silence, he snapped again. "How long have you been seeing him?" He yelled, making her jump a little in her seat.

"Tonight was the first date." It technically wasn't a lie.

"How long have you been talking?"

"A week or two."

"So since the reunion?"

"Yes."

There was a long pause, both of them just looking at the TV, watching the colors flash, but not paying attention to what it was actually saying. A nuclear bomb could have been dropped on London, and it wouldn't have fazed the two of them, sitting in silence.

Slowly, they began to relax into the couch, their breathing slowing.

Hermione looked over at Ron, tears now in her eyes, watching him suffer in silence.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, his head rolling over lazily to meet her gaze. 

"I'm not mad." he murmured. And for the first time in months, she wrapped her arms around his torso, pulling him closer.

"I should have told you." She muttered, just staring into his cerulean eyes, so full of pain and regret.

"You don't owe me an explanation. Whatever we had is over."

With that statement, she began to sob, much to Ron's surprise. He just watched her cry, pulling her just a little closer.

"I'm--I'm sorry." She sputtered, trying to find the words. "I'm just sorry for all of it. I'm sorry for the last 4 years. I'm sorry I wasted your time. I'm sorry I couldn't make this work." she sighed, sniffling heavily.

"You didn't waste my time. I'm happy we had this." He smiled genuinely, eyes shining with tears in the cover of moonlight. "You're forgetting all the great times we had. All the fun trips and the late night talks--everything that made this worth it." he smiled, causing her to smile just a little. "You remember the trip to Spain? With Harry and Ginny?"

They both laughed a little, remembering the hijinks. 

"Yes, I remember everything about that trip. The bug bites--" she chuckled.

"The wrong train--" He added.

"The food poisoning--"

"Oh, and the buses! Everyone spoke Spanish--"

"And we had no idea where we were going!"

They went back and forth, dissolving into laughter.

Once the laughter died down, Hermione stood up slowly, Ron following her.

"Goodnight, Ron." She smiled, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Goodnight, 'Mione." He returned, watching her walk into the bedroom.

She began to get into her pajamas, taking off the jewelry and placing it back in the old box it came in. She looked in the mirror, unable to wipe the smile off her face.

Maybe they would be ok. Maybe her and Ron could be friends. And maybe this thing with Draco would work out.

Just maybe.

For nearly a month, she felt more accomplished at work, her and Ron were talking again, and above all, she continued to date Draco in secret from everyone except Ron. It was a whirlwind, but somehow it felt like a dream. Everything seemed to be falling into place.

But there was still one thing they hadn't dealt with yet.

She looked at the paperwork on her desk, knowing exactly what it was.

She just stared at it, almost unable to comprehend it.

Divorce.

The word stuck out like a sore thumb. And if you'd told Hermione when she was a kid that she would be a divorcee by 25, she'd have laughed in your face. No way could she, the brightest witch of her generation, possibly make the mistake of marrying the wrong person.

But here she was, signing away the four years of marriage she'd given to Ron. Four years of her life she'd never get back. Four years of laughter, tears, trips, family, and everything in between.

It truly was the end of an era.

"Good morning, darling." Draco entered her office, and involuntarily, she shut the folder, pretending to put it away in a drawer. He set down the cups, sitting in the chair opposite her desk. "Want to tell me what the hell that was?" He asked, pointing to the drawer that she shoved the folder in.

"Oh, um. Well it's confidential." she offered, and Draco shook his head.

"I work for the head of The Ministry, dear. If it's confidential I've already seen it." He gently added, not trying to pressure her. Something told him that this might be a secret he didn't care to know.

"We can talk about it later." She sighed, picking up the cup. He seemed content with that answer, taking a sip of his drink. "You know, if you keep popping in my office like this, people will start to talk." She smirked, Draco laughing. 

"Let them talk, lest they find out what is really going on." He faked shock and intrigue, both of them dissolving into chuckles. "Speaking of work--I've been invited to go to The States, on official Ministry business. I've arranged for a charming young foreign ambassador to accompany me." He snickered, Hermione's eyebrows shooting up.

"I sure hope you ran it past this charming young ambassador before just spring it on her." She quipped back, Draco shaking his head.

"It's a free vacation for a week to Washington D.C. This charming young ambassador has always wanted to go there and see the National Library. I just assumed this certain ambassador would be excited." He offered, a grin settling on his face.

"Well, I'm sure this charming young ambassador will be absolutely ecstatic when you tell her." She chuckled, Draco standing and heading for the door.

"I surely do hope so." He winked at her, shutting the door behind himself.

Hermione let out a long breath, taking another sip of her coffee.

Yet another adventure.

She had to work late that night, not getting in until around 8:30PM. 

"Ron, you're never gonna believe the news I got today!" She smiled, calling out to him.

When she didn't get a reply, she began to investigate the small home. And as she approached the master suite, she heard muffled laughter.

Her stomach sank with the anticipation of what was behind the door, and even though she thought against it, she pushed the handle, throwing the door open.

"Woah!"

"Hey!" The two voices yelped at the same time.

"'Mione! Hey, what's up?" Ron slurred, obviously drunk. "This is Pansy. From school!" He laughed, pointing to the brunette in the bed with him. Pansy shot up, covering herself with the silk sheets.

She remembered the day she picked those sheets out at Linens and Things. She'd always loved that store, and when she saw that 4,000 thread count silk sheet set on sale, she'd impulse-bought it. It was more than they had in the budget for the month, but she couldn't help herself. The color matched so perfectly with the way that she'd decorated the master suite.

And here she was, catching her husband in bed with another woman, on her damn 4,000 thread count. But she also had to remember this was far from a typical dynamic.

"You got yourself a snake, so I figured I'd see what was so great about it!" Ron drunkenly laughed, Pansy giggling.

"That's what this is about? Draco?" she asked, feeling a little hurt. She wasn't sad that Ron was with someone, she was upset that it was about Draco. She thought all this had been buried.

"Yeah, 'Mione. Of course it's about Draco. He's the reason you're leaving me!" Ron snapped, standing from the bed, surprisingly still in boxers.

"I thought we'd talked about this! I thought this was over!" Hermione shouted, Ron beginning to size her up.

"You're kidding, right?! You cheated on me!" He yelled over her, getting dangerously close.

"Ron, that's not what happened and you know it!" She hissed back, Ron getting very close.

"I sent you the fucking paperwork today because I'm over it. I'm moving on. And if you would have read the paper, you'd know this is my fucking house now. You can pick up your shit tomorrow." He stumbled over the words, barely able to keep himself standing.

"This is the alcohol talking." She was barely able to speak, her eyes beginning to fill with tears.

"No s'not. You need to leave. I'm about to see what's so great about shagging a Slytherin." He growled, Hermione taking a step back.

"Fuck you, Ron Weasley." She grimaced, holding back the tears. With a few flicks of her wand, all of her belongings were packed in one magical suitcase, landing directly on the floor in front of her. "Have a nice night, asshole." She tried to keep her lip from trembling, walking out the front door and slamming it behind her.

She had nowhere to go.

Draco.

Maybe she could talk to Draco, explain what happened, and maybe he'd let her stay for just a few days until she figured something out.

She checked her watching, seeing that it was just past 9.

He'd be at the hospital.

He visited Astoria every night.

She really didn't want to interrupt him, but he'd made it clear that she was welcome to call him or visit him at any hour of any day.

With hesitation, she apparated to St. Mungo's.

She landed at the main admittance desk. She transfigured the suitcase into a purse, throwing it over her shoulder and approaching the desk.

"Hello. I'm here to see Astoria Malfoy." She was barely able to speak, the nurse nodding.

"We can only allow visitors on this list." She held up a clipboard. Shit, she knew there was no way she was on that list. Maybe she could make up a name? Or say she was Narcissa? Had this nurse seen Narcissa before? Would they ask for I.D? "What's your name, ma'am?" The nurse snapped her out of her thoughts, Hermione sighing.

"Granger. Hermione Granger." she murmured, her shoulders slumping.

"Do you have I.D?" The nurse proceeded, and Hermione nodded in confusion. She handed the woman her Ministry I.D, the nurse nodding in confirmation. "Room 431. Down this hall on the right." she smiled, Hermione still shocked.

As she walked down the corridor a million thoughts were racing through her mind. She had been on the list? How long had she been on the visitation list? And was she doing the right thing here? Maybe this was the wrong move. She could always call Harry? But Harry and Ginny didn't know anything about the divorce, so that really wasn't an option.

Then, she reached the room, looking slowly through the window.

Hermione was barely able to step through the door.

She'd never really liked hospitals, like most of the human population, but now, this was different. She saw him, reading a large book. He was reading aloud, sitting relatively comfortably.

The second she'd stepped into the room, she cursed herself for wearing pumps, Draco's eyes snapping up at the clicking noise.

"Granger. Is everything alright?" He asked, standing from the chair, walking over to meet her.

She couldn't take her eyes off Astoria. There were breathing tubes, and IV's, and countless machines whirring away. Astoria had a white sheen to her skin, shiny from sweat. This whole time, she'd never see Astoria, so it was easier to forget she existed--and that she was a part of this thing they had going.

"It's a lot to take in." He murmured, as she slowly looked up at him.

"Is she gonna die?" Hermione asked, unable to hold the question back.

Draco sighed, a long silence following.

"Probably. Depending on how long I leave her on life support." He murmured, surprisingly cold.

Tears began to gather in Hermione's eyes.

"What--what have we done? What have I done? This woman is your wife!" She began to grow hysterical, tears spilling over her cheeks quickly.

"Granger--"

"I'm a monster! I stole away her husband in her most vulnerable moment." She cried, her breaths getting shallow.

"Granger--"

"She's your wife! You promised to love her forever, in sickness and in health. How could we do something like this? I--"

"Hermione!" He shouted, grabbing her shaky wrist. 

She stood silent.

He'd never used her real name before, and she hated that she loved the way it sounded on his lips. It sent a shiver down her spine, the way the syllables slipped off his silver tongue.

"I never loved her." He confessed, looking down. 

"But--you read her stories, you--"

"She was a good friend to me, Hermione. She was there for me when I needed support. The marriage pleased both of our families, but we were never in love. We were being pressured, and we just happened to be friends. Why do you think we don't have children? We sleep in separate beds for Merlin's sake!" he sighed, trying to regain his composure.

"Does she love you?" Hermione asked, afraid of the answer. If Astoria loved Draco, she would feel horrible for meddling in the situation--even if Draco didn't love Astoria back.

"Not in the amorous way. She'd always had a thing for Goyle, if you can believe that. But after he married, she came to me, knowing no woman would have me." He breathed heavily, wrapping his hand around hers. 

She was surprised by the sudden action of him grabbing her hand, but she welcomed the touch.

"Hermione, I've been alone for so long. I don't remember a time that I ever truly loved a woman. No one was good enough--smart enough--pretty enough. None of them seemed to really fit me. The ones that I did like never stuck around very long because they didn't understand me or my mannerisms--my pointed tone and stern attitude. But you--" he took a deep breath, moving just a little closer. "You understand me in a way that no one else can. You are smarter than me, and the most gorgeous woman I've ever laid eyes on." He paused one last time, their faces mere inches apart. "It's you, Hermione. It's always been you."

She couldn't think of a single thing to say, just leaning in for a slow and sensual kiss. 

It seemed like years before they pulled apart. 

"Ron and I are getting a divorce. He threw me out of the house, so I'm standing here with all my belongings." She rushed her speech. "I don't expect anything, but I have nowhere to go and I just--" She tried not to dissolve into sobs, but it was no use.

"The paperwork from this morning--it was divorce papers." He sighed, wrapping her in his arms again.

"I should have told you. The night after the reunion, the night after we met, I told Ron I didn't love him. And we decided to get a divorce." She blubbered, unable to form real coherent thoughts.

"You divorcing Ron for me?" He asked, trying to clarify.

"Yes! Because I love you! And I know we've been seeing each other for literally a month, but I think--I know this is how it was supposed to be. This is how everything should have happened the first time, if there was no war and no Voldemort and none of that other shit." She stammered, Draco laughing breathlessly.

"Granger, I haven't the faintest idea where all this came from." He spoke, a smile growing on her face.

"I don't know, and truly, I don't care. Tell me you love me. Tell me I'm not crazy." She begged, and he grinned, before leaning forward a little.

"I love you, Hermione." He said her name again, leaning in for a deep kiss. When they pulled apart he spoke breathlessly. "Come home with me." He demanded, no question about it.

She nodded, clutching her purse a little tighter.

He turned to Astoria, walking to her bedside.

"Goodnight, Astoria." He gave her a chaste kiss on her temple, walking over to grab Hermione's hand.

Wordlessly, they walked out the front of the hospital, flooing to the parlor of Malfoy Mansion.

She woke up slowly, opening her eyes to light pouring gently through the cathedral windows, covered by ethereal grey curtains. She writhed for a moment, looking around her. The sheets were a dark emerald, and the duvet was a sparkling white with grey accents. The bed had tall canopies, lined with the same curtains as the windows.

This room was nearly the size of her entire house. She couldn't imagine people actually living in spaces like these. This must be the master suite, she thought. If that was true, this is where Lucius and Narcissa had slept, along with every one of Draco's ancestors. She slipped from the bed quickly, slightly revolted by the thought.

Her feet hit the cold marble, and she winced just a little. Standing, she searched the area a little, hearing the faint sound of running water just behind one of the far doors. She approached it carefully, gently pushing down on the lever and swinging the door in slowly.

She barely took one step in before the water shut off, and she panicked. Just as she was about to run off, Draco's head popped out of the shower, and a grin settled on his face, facing Hermione directly.

"Good morning, love." He ran a hand through his wet hair, Hermione unable to stop the force pushing her further into the bathroom. "Would you care to join me. The water's still scalding hot, dear." He spoke meticulously, a sly smile written on his face.

For a moment, she considered the offer, dirty thoughts clouding her mind. But then she remembered why she was here. 

Ron had thrown her out of the house.

"Actually, I'll wait till you get out." She smiled warmly. "Do you remember where I set my phone?" She asked, Draco sighing slowly, probably already reading her mind. He knew that they couldn't play house for long before Ron and Astoria were to come up in conversation.

"On the bedside table. Nigel has breakfast waiting downstairs." he called as she walked out of the bathroom and snatched her phone up from the table, heading out into the corridor.

She spotted the grand staircase, just down the hall, heading that way. She checked her phone, seeing 20+ message alerts, all from the same person.

Ron.

She scoffed, ignoring the screen. That was just too much to deal with right now. She walked into the main parlor, trying to remember where the kitchen was. And as soon as she walked into the kitchen, she wished she hadn't.

"Miss Granger." The velveteen voice greeted her, ice running through Hermione's veins.

"Mrs. Malfoy. Hello." She stammered, immediately looking down at the floor.

"Well, you are quite the morning glory." Narcissa chuckled, sitting down at the breakfast nook. Hermione looking at her clothing. She was in a large t-shirt, no doubt Draco's, and short running shorts. The worst part? She realized that she was wearing absolutely no bra and her hair was an obvious mess.

She looked at Narcissa, who's hair was up in neat rollers, light makeup already on her face, and she was wearing a emerald silk robe.

"Merlin." Hermione whispered, blush creeping up her face rapidly.

"It's quite alright, dear. Not everyone has been conditioned to wake up and do all this." She motioned up and down her ensemble. "Why not grab yourself something to eat, and join me. I've been meaning to speak with you."

Panic.

Narcissa Malfoy needing to speak with you was not exactly how you wanted to start any day.

But silently, Hermione did as she was asked, grabbing a meager plate and sitting across from Narcissa.

"I understand that you've become quite serious about my son." She began, Hermione freezing up a little.

"I wouldn't say serious--I'd say--" Hermione stammered, but Narcissa interrupted.

"So you're not serious about him?" She followed up.

"No I just--"

"Well, which is it dear, serious or not?"

Hermione took her time, trying to find the words.

"I love Draco, Mrs. Malfoy. I've never been with anyone who makes me feel as fulfilled or as intelligent or as loved as Draco does. He's become a beacon of light in my life." She confessed, a small smile settling on Narcissa's face.

"That's what I was looking for." She murmured, Hermione allowing herself to smile. "Now--" She continued. "We need to talk about your role in the upcoming months."

"My role?" Hermione was confused. Draco hadn't mentioned anything about the next few months.

"Yes. You will need to be present at the funeral, and then a few weeks later, we will give a statement to the press about your divorce. After that, we can announce that you and Draco are dating. Hopefully a few months after that, we will have an engagement to announce as well!" Narcissa spoke cheerily.

"You--how do you know I'm getting a divorce? And who's funeral do I need to be at, I don't understand?" Hermione stuttered, Narcissa smiling warmly.

"Astoria's funeral. We're taking her off life support." She explained, Hermione even more shocked than before.

"What? Why didn't Draco tell me?" 

"We only decided last night. We put this plan together. But I knew I couldn't count on my son to tell you with a sense of urgency. So I thought it might be better for us to have this conversation." She offered, Hermione's mouth still hung slightly agape.

"Why are you taking her off life support?" Hermione was barely able to speak, her mouth suddenly dry.

"She was a great friend to Draco. But now, now that he's found someone he actually loves, I can finally rest assured that there will be an heir to the Malfoy and Black legacy." Narcissa explained, and suddenly everything became very clear to Hermione. "She's been sick for so long, and brain dead for almost 7 months. She deserves to walk with our ancestors. She's suffered long enough." But Hermione wasn't buying it.

"You don't care about that." Hermione shot back, Narcissa a little surprised at her tone. "You only care about the preservation of the lineage. And no that Astoria might as well be barren, you think I'm the answer to your problem. Have you just been keeping her alive with the hope she would be able to provide Draco an heir?" Hermione was beginning to get heated, Narcissa shaking her head.

"I am the last surviving Black. I have no choice but to preserve our lineage." She hissed lowly, Hermione physically scooting back a little. This was the Narcissa remembered. And it almost made her more comfortable. At least she knew what to expect. "You must realize that Draco is so much more than your love. He is the only way our family will go on. Do you really want to be responsible for ending 2 of the Sacred 28 families?" She asked, her eyes a dangerous and fiery brunette. "You are selfish to think that this is about you. Or even about my son." She paused, making sure Hermione understood. "We must all do what has to be done to survive. The House of Black and House of Malfoy have existed for nearly 1000 years. The decisions that they made lead up to this point. It is our duty to secure the future of this lineage." She sighed, looking down at the table for a moment. "You are very lucky. You love Draco. I can't say that many of us marry for love." Her voice was kinder, and when she finally looked up at Hermione, she knew that Narcissa was talking about her marriage to Lucius. And for a moment, she wasn't mad anymore. This woman had lived a very hard life, one full of men and family directing her in how to live her life. They abused her, and strong-armed her into doing the will of the family.

"I'm sorry." Hermione spoke quietly, Narcissa raising an eyebrow.

"For what?" Narcissa still had a bite to her tone, but it wasn't because she was angry. She was hurt, and Hermione could understand that.

"You've gone through so much. I can't understand imagine what you've sacrificed. You've worked so hard to make sure that Draco has a chance, even after everything that happened." Hermione spoke earnestly, Narcissa unable to hide the small smile.

"You say you can't understand, but I suppose you just did." Narcissa took a sip of her coffee, Hermione smiling slowly. "I also suppose I could have sprung all that on you a little slower."

"It's a lot to take in. And I'm not quite ready to announce my divorce. If we're going to do all this, we have to do it in my time." Hermione spoke firmly, Narcissa nodding. 

"We will have plenty of time after the funeral." She explained, Hermione looking down at the table. "I want to share something with you--" Narcissa began, Hermione's head snapping up quickly. "I get the inclination that you will be family soon, so I want to open a line of communication between us." She began calculated, and Hermione feared that meant she was about to drop a proverbial bomb. Hermione white-knuckled the arms on the chair, waiting for Narcissa to continue. "I miss my sisters a great deal. Bellatrix was always a troublemaker, but she was bold and protective, truly the eldest of us three. And Andromeda, the baby, was much too kind for all of us. She wasn't really a Slytherin, I don't believe. My family bullied her out of their graces, Andromeda running into the arms of Ted Tonks. You remind me so much of her." Narcissa paused, Hermione listening intently. "You're so kind--empathetic. I learned my lesson with my sisters. I saw what this legacy can do to a woman--even the most noble and generous of women. It will always send you running. Me--I was forced to stay. I let Lucius and my father walk all over me, and I lived practically alone for years on end. But I don't want that for you. I was worried that you wouldn't be up to task, and that handling something of this emotional complexity--dealing with all of this history--would be too much for a muggle-born witch. You're practically a newborn in this world. No one has any opinions that aren't their own original ideas. But with us, everyone has something to say about the House of Black and House of Malfoy." She murmured, eyes shining ever so slightly. "But I recognize that you love Draco. And I am pushing aside all my paranoid doubts about how this will end. I want you to know that I'm on your side--so long as you promise to take care of my son and my family." She grabbed Hermione's hand suddenly, giving it a light squeeze. "I won't be alive forever. And when I'm gone, I need to know that a kind-hearted level-headed woman is here to make sure things go right. I need someone I can count on to make the right decisions, the difficult decisions. It's far from easy, but if you can promise me that, I can be a most formidable ally." She smiled sadly, tears threatening to escape both Narcissa's and Hermione's eyes.

"Of course." Hermione could barely form words, just staring into Narcissa's eyes. In those amber eyes, there was so much pain. Hermione had no concept of what she'd been through. An arranged marriage, the only true successor of her lineage, the loss of both of her sisters. She was a woman alone, just trying to make sure her small corner of the world was looked after--taken care of. And while Draco had to deal with all the business problems, all the responsibility, Narcissa had to deal with everything else. She was planning the funeral of her daughter-in-law--remaining unflinching as she did it, because she knew she was the strength that Draco couldn't be. She was arranging the press releases, trying to spin these stories in a way that wouldn't effect Draco and Hermione's life negatively, because she knew first-hand how damaging the media could be. She lived with people hating her simply for the sake of hating her all her life. She was extending this olive branch to Hermione, because she'd lived this nightmare for so long. And yet, she held Hermione's hand, promising that as long as she had love in her heart and strength in her mind--she was going to be alright. Narcissa would make sure of it.

Truly an unsung hero.

"Well then--" She took a deep breath. "--anything you should ever need--just say the word. I'll make sure something gets worked out." She finished, letting Hermione's hand go slowly and taking a long draw from her coffee. Hermione nodded wordlessly, taking a bite of her bagel. "Now--I need to continue briefing on the funeral arrangements. You'll need to--"

"Mother!" Draco snapped, rushing into the room. "You're gonna freak her out." He sighed, pointing at Hermione, as he fixed himself a plate.

"Hardly. We were just having a little discussion about the funeral arrangements." With those words, Draco's eyes downcast a little. "But I'll leave you to explain. I'm quite sure that Hermione and I were done chatting." She shot Hermione a knowing look as she stood from the table and exited the room.

Draco sat down quickly, scooting his chair in.

"She wasn't supposed to talk about that stuff without me. I wanted to tell you myself." He sighed, and Hermione just nodded.

"Are you okay with all this? Taking Astoria off life support, does that bother you?" she asked, and he just shook his head slowly.

"Mother and I are the only family she has left. The Greengrass' wanted nothing to do with her after she went brain-dead. They never really cared about her to begin with. She's been in a coma for 7 months now. And the doctors all say that her chances of waking up are almost 0." he murmured, taking a short pause. "It's best that we let her go. Then, you and I can move on."

"Why did you tell her about my divorce?" She asked, Draco immediately looking a little guilty. "I'm not mad, I'm just wondering why you did it." She muttered, honestly meaning what she was saying.

"It was a mixture of excitement that finally we might be together, and then knowing what my mother expected of me." He was quiet, afraid that she was actually mad. "The thought that finally we won't have to sneak around is just so intoxicating. It's what I've been waiting for the moment I saw you at that reunion." He confessed, a smile on Hermione's face.

Just then, another buzz hit her phone, and she looked up to see the caller ID.

Ron. Again.

She picked up the phone, Draco watching her intently.

"What do you want." She hissed into the phone, a short silence following.

"'Mione, I--I screwed up bad--I'm sorry--I just--please forgive me. I--"

"You saying you screwed up is an understatement. You threw me out of the house, jackass." she growled, Ron immediately starting back up again.

"I know and I'm so sorry, just please--I need you to come home--I need--"

"Don't even dare to tell me about what you need. Unless you have something to say about the papers, then I don't know why you're calling me." She snapped, Ron beginning to sob.

"I don't want us to split up. I know I said it was fine, but it's not--I can't live without you, 'Mione." He blubbered, and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Ron, if you really meant that, last night wouldn't have happened." She sighed, hanging up the phone.

Draco didn't dare speak, watching as Hermione began on her bagel again.

Just moments later, they heard a clamoring in the parlor, both of them jumping up from the table. Draco pulled open a kitchen drawer, picking up a spare wand.

"The drawer--over there--my mother's wand." he whispered hurriedly, pointing at a drawer over on the other side of the kitchen, both of them drawing their wands.

They cautiously walked out of the kitchen, entering the parlor. Upon seeing who it was, they both dropped their wands to their sides.

"Merlin, Ron. Why are you here?" Hermione groaned, and he turned to face her. He was disgusting, stains on his shirt, face grey, eyes puffy and red with tears.

"'Mione. I love you. You can't stay with him." he began to approach her, but Draco quickly slipped in front of her.

"Ron, you've done quite enough for 24 hours." Draco muttered, Ron slumping a little

"That's my wife, Malfoy." He hissed, trying to push past Draco, but they could both tell he was completely plastered. He was weak, and Draco stood firm, planting himself like a tree.

"Ron, you need to leave before you get yourself hurt." Draco's tone lowered, haunting and threatening.

"You want to duel, mate? Okay, let's fucking duel." Ron whipped out his wand, pointing it at Draco and Hermione.

Ron went to cast a spell, Hermione pushing Draco out of the way.

"Ron, no!" But she wasn't quick enough. She felt a deep burn on her arm, quickly putting her hand over it and hissing in pain.

"Hermione, I--" Ron sounded defeated, but Draco sized him up, a fire in his normally cool grey eyes.

"You need to leave." Draco was down-right terrifying, Ron nodding sadly and scurrying away. As soon as he'd flooed, he ran to Hermione, asking if she was ok.

"I'm fine. It's just a burn charm. I'll get some antiseptic on it." She murmured, walking up the stairs into the master suite bathroom.

She couldn't believe the last 24 hours, trying to process everything that had happened. There was so much that was about to unfold in the next few weeks. Astoria's death, her divorce, and if everything went well, an engagement to Draco that she wasn't sure either of them wanted just yet.

She'd told herself yesterday morning that it was just another adventure.

Yet another adventure.

Astoria's funeral was the next week.

Hermione stood in the third row, 'a supportive friend' as Narcissa had described her.

The whole thing was pretty small, really respectful.

Since the incident with Ron, she'd permanently moved in with Draco. And it'd been a challenging week. Most of it consisted of supporting Draco through the loss of a friend. And as much as he'd tried to convince everyone--and himself--that he was okay, Hermione could tell that it wasn't the whole truth. Other, smaller parts of the week, included Narcissa briefing her fully on how the statements that Malfoy Holdings was going to make to the Daily Prophet. Along with giving Hermione some shares in Malfoy Holdings. It wasn't a ton, but someday, it would be worth a lot. Narcissa had described it as insurance. Merlin forbid something happen to her or Draco--their children and the surviving partner would still have those shares. So in the absolute worst case scenario--in which they needed to declare bankruptcy--they would still have something.

Hermione had realized that about Narcissa. She was a planner, and you would never catch her off guard. She was always 3 steps ahead of everyone else. And now, Hermione understood where Draco got his intellect--Narcissa was incredibly bright.

"So, have you turned in the paperwork for your divorce yet?" He asked casually, both of them sitting at the small breakfast nook. They had just gotten back from the reception, and Hermione had fixed up some coffee.

"No." She murmured, looking down. "I don't know why I'm dragging my feet. I just--" She didn't finish, unable to find the words.

"Well, you know, we will need to make the announcement soon. So we can give some time for us to 'date' and announce an engagement." He sighed, Hermione getting just a little tipped off.

"Draco, please don't rush me. I need to take my time." She sighed, taking a sip from her coffee.

"We don't have all the time in the world. We're on a clock here." He snapped back.

Hermione knew it was just the day, and knew he was upset about Astoria, but she couldn't stop herself from responding.

"You really need to stop trying to strong-arm me. You're not going to get anywhere." She quipped back, a little bite in her tone. 

"I'm sorry if I'm rushing you. This whole family is waiting on you to decide whether or not you actually want to divorce that disgusting drunk." He hissed, taking Hermione by surprise.

"Listen, you shouldn't say stuff like that about him. He's in a really tough spot right now." She defended him, Draco rolling his eyes.

"Granger, you really need to decide if you want this or not." He was hauntingly serious. "I can't wait on you forever. I have to many responsibilities and too many people relying on me. Are you quite sure that this is what you want? To marry me and be Hermione Malfoy? To raise a family with me? Because I'm not sure it is." he spoke quietly, unable to hold her gaze.

She was speechless for a moment, just thinking about what he'd said.

"You know what?" She nodding, standing up. "You're right." She whispered, putting her cup in the sink.

"Where are you going?" He asked after her, and Hermione shook her head.

"I'm leaving, Draco."

"Why?"

"Because you're right." She sighed deeply, walking up the stairs to the master suite. He was following closely behind her.

"I didn't mean that, not really. I was trying to feel you out."

"Stop lying to me, Draco. You're not very good at it."

She began gathering up her things, not sure where she was going next, but knowing that she needed to leave.

"Draco? Hermione?" Narcissa entered the room, seeing what was going on. "Hermione, where are you going?" She asked, nervousness in her voice.

"I'm not sure." Hermione stated, shutting her suitcase.

Narcissa glared daggers at her son, hitting his shoulder.

"Really? This day of all days. Merlin, you're such an idiot!" Narcissa hissed at him, Hermione moving past them and down the stairs. Draco and Narcissa followed her to the front door, where she turned slowly, looking at them with intent.

"Please, dear. Don't leave. We can all three sit down, we can work this out. Whatever it is." She muttered, reaching a hand out to Hermione. 

Hermione took her hand, giving it a quick squeeze.

"I'm sorry, but I have to figure out what I want. And once I figure it out, I'll let you know." Hermione smiled sadly, Narcissa nodding and letting her hand go.

"I hope to hear from you soon, dear." she added, Hermione nodding and walking out the front door.

She ended up staying with Harry and Ginny, finally coming clean about her divorce pending with Ron. Ron hadn't told either of them anything, so they were understandably shocked and upset. But they got over it, wondering why Hermione had showed up at their doorstep.

She replied simply.

"I need to figure out what I want."

She'd lived her whole life in someone's shadow. She was in Harry's shadow at Hogwarts, and she lived in Ron's shadow as his wife. She was about to live in Draco's shadow as the new princess of the Malfoy family. But in order to be happy, she realized that she had to figure out what she truly wanted for herself.

Just a week later, she'd found out she was pregnant.

And she'd thought that the universe was playing some big joke on her. 

She couldn't live with Harry and Ginny, they were having a baby.

She couldn't live with Ron, she'd cut him off, despite missing his friendship.

She couldn't live with Draco, because they'd skipped all the steps and the media would have a frenzy.

So, decidedly, it was time for a fresh start.

She walked into Draco's office a week later, surprise forcing him to shoot up out of his chair.

"Hermione?" He breathed, barely able to speak. He brought her in for a tight hug, taking in the familiar feeling and smell.

"I've requested a transfer to Scotland." She came out with it, Draco's face falling immediately.

"What? Why?" He fired back, a little anger seeping through his voice.

She contemplated telling him, she really did. But she knew that if this was all going to work out, she couldn't. 

"Because. I'm learning what I really want out of life." She murmured, continuing. "I don't expect you to wait for me. I'd prefer you didn't. Your family, and your business, they are more important than me. I'm just a single person. You need to take care of those things, and take care of your mother. I am not self-centered enough to believe that you would put all that on hold for me." she explained, and he sat back down in his office chair.

"Then I suppose we have nothing further to discuss." He added coldly, unable to look her in the eyes.

She'd expected this reaction. And while she didn't want it to end like this, she knew it had to.

"I love you, Draco." She whispered, shutting the door behind herself. 

You must make the decision that is right, not the one that is easy. I need someone I can trust to make the difficult decisions my son cannot.

Narcissa's words echoed in her head, as she set the sleeping infant on the doorstep.

She felt tears stinging her eyes as she banged heavily on the door, slipping into a bush nearby a large window.

Nigel came to the door, looking out on the horizon suspiciously, his wand drawn. He nearly shut the door, but the baby made a noise, Nigel's eyes shooting downward.

"Merlin's beard." He gasped, picking the infant up with care. "Who left you on our doorstep? They must have had the wrong house." He murmured, picking up the note Hermione had left Draco. After skimming over it, he grimaced, turning into the parlor.

"Master Draco! This is urgent!" He shouted up the stairs, shutting the front door.

Hermione peered through the window, barely able to see through the tears.

Draco came scrambling down the stairs, stopping midway--once he realized what Nigel was holding. Whispering, Hermione cast a charm so that she could hear what they were saying, if only just for a few more moments.

"Nigel, why do you have a baby?" He asked groggily, sleep still thick in his voice as he took each step slowly.

"Master Draco, it would seem that this is your daughter." Nigel spoke slowly, Draco stopping completely in his tracks this time, just a few feet away from the infant.

"That's impossible. The only person I--" he murmured, falling off into silence. "Hermione." 

She could barely stand to watch any more, but she willed herself to. She needed to know her daughter would be alright.

"She left a note, Master Draco." Nigel handed Draco the card with his free hand, Draco reading it aloud.

Draco,

Your mother was a wise woman--tested time and time again by those closest to her. She once entrusted me to take care of you, to take care of her family. And while I cannot do that, I can do something else she asked of me. She told me to make the right decisions, even though they were very rarely the easy ones. She told me that she could never trust you to pull the trigger when the time came. She told me that you were just too kind-hearted. 

I never told you about our daughter, because I knew you would try to make an honest woman of me. You would've wanted to marry and raise her together. But you and I both know that there is no way in which that would work out well. I have to return to my old life, and fulfill my duties there. We will be strangers from now on, never speaking of the secret rendezvous we had. There is no other choice. And while this decision is far from easy, i know in my heart it is the right one.

Her name is Andromeda Narcissa Jean Malfoy. Named after the kindest member of the Black family, the toughest member of the Malfoy family, and the smartest member of the Granger family--my mother. I have the intuition that she will fulfill these namesakes with great stride.

Please take care of her. While this decision may seem cold-hearted or heavy-handed, I know this is how things are supposed to be. She will need to learn all the things I could never understand--all the things that come with being a Malfoy and a Black. She will grow up knowing the history of her ancestors--even the parts you like to skip over. She can be a fresh start for your family, a completely clean slate.

Never mention me to her. You can spin whatever tale suits you, but she can never know who I am. Maybe someday, when she's an adult, we can finally meet again. But until then, she deserves a normal life--away from the scandal that would be caused by revealing her mother to the world.

My heart will always be with you, Draco. You will always and forever be the love of my life. And it will take me lifetimes to get over us. But--I have no choice in the matter.

Always and forever yours,

Hermione

Draco could barely finish the letter, looking up at Nigel with tears in his eyes.

"No time for crying, son. She's counting on you." Nigel gestured to the baby asleep in his arms, Draco finally truly looking at his daughter. 

Her hair was a platinum blonde, just as his was. And her skin was a pale white. She was a Malfoy indeed.

"May I?" Draco made a cradling motion with his arms, Nigel smiling warmly, wordlessly helping the infant into his embrace.

Hermione's heart clenched, seeing the teary-eyed smile that lit up Draco's face.

"My darling, Andromeda. You are so beautiful." He whispered, running a thumb over her cheek gently.

Hermione forced herself away, unable to take any more.

She apparated away, tears spilling over her cheeks.

And she landed in the familiar living room, the familiar ginger looked up at her, stars in his eyes.

They ran to each other, Hermione sobbing into his chest.

And as if nothing had happened, here they were again, back in the same place she'd started. But after going around the block, she knew that this was truly the way it was supposed to be.

She knew she'd made the right decision--now, she just hoped she could live with it.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for checking my story out! Make sure to comment and leave kudos!!


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